For mammography examinations, compression paddles, or compression elements, are used to transfer a compression force onto a breast. For example, the paddles may be flat or curved. In order to allow an evaluation of the positioning and compression, the compression paddles are transparent. Thus, the technician can visually control the applied compression. However, it has been shown that the application of the correct pressure is not only relevant for the reduction or minimization of pain on side of the examined person, but also for a proper image quality. U.S. Pat. No. 6,682,484 B1 describes a breast imaging system including compression plates for retaining a breast during examination. One of the compression plates is formed by a polymeric membrane, which is stretched under tension to provide a rigid but compliant retention surface.